


The Vampire Diaries

by Hikari_and_Yami



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Attempt at Humor, M/M, PWP
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-13
Updated: 2019-05-03
Packaged: 2019-08-23 06:42:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16613879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hikari_and_Yami/pseuds/Hikari_and_Yami
Summary: He didn't know what was crazier. The idea that his roommate was possibly a vampire or the thought that he was actually in love with said roommate/possible vampire. Perhaps a little bit of both?- Blindshipping -





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a silly silly fic that started out as a tumblr exclusive like two years ago, but that I've finally decided to transition to Ao3 for those of you who don't use tumblr to enjoy too. That being said, expect multiple updates in the next hour, including a new, never posted chapter.

Yugi was starting to think that his roommate was a vampire. 

Maybe that was why he was out at all hours of the night, or why he was so repulsed by the amount of garlic salt that Yugi saturated his food with. Maybe that was why his eyes were such a unique shade of garnet, or why his cheekbones could cut through fields of diamonds. Maybe that's why he practically glided into rooms in a shroud of mystery and charm with a voice that sounded like it had cast a thousand spells in its day. Maybe that's why the man was so goddamn handsome. 

Yes. It was all starting to make sense now. 

Yugi was nearly convinced...

Now he just to think of a subtle way of figuring out whether or not his roommate was indeed a bloodthirsty creature of the night. 

"Are you a vampire?"

Then again, subtly was never his strong suit. 

"...excuse me?"

Atem had paused mid-pour, the milk carton in his hand hovering over a bowl of cereal. The man was staring at him with furrowed brows and a small frown. 

"You know, like, one of those creatures that suck blood and turn into bats."

"No, I know what a vampire is." Atem placed the carton down on the counter. "I mean, why in the world would you think that?"

_Awfully defensive for a human... I'm on to you._

"Well, you're only ever out during the night."

"I work nights."

"And you eat your meat super rare."

"As do millions of other human beings."

"You never eat any food I make with garlic salt."

"I don't like the taste of it. And, no offense, but you use way too much of it when you cook."

Offense taken, but whatever. "You wear tons of jewelry, but never anything silver."

"I'm allergic."

"So you claim."

Atem blinked at him. 

Yugi went in for the kill. 

"It would also explain why you're so attractive too, because apparently vampires are supposed to be - "

"Okay so, yeah, I'm cutting off our cable for the next few months. You need to lay off the TV shows." Atem turned his attention back to his midnight snack, but had a small smile on his face as he did so. A minute of silence passed in between them. 

And then, "So, you think I'm attractive?"

Yugi flushed a deep scarlet. "Uh. Did I say that?"

"You did."

"I don't recall saying that."

"That's okay," Atem said, turning towards his room. He glanced over his shoulder and flashed Yugi a wink. "I do."

Then, he disappeared into his bedroom, just as Yugi's heart skipped probably a million beats. 

All red-faced and flustered, Yugi turned back to the TV screen with a huff. 

What a cheeky vampire his roommate was. 


	2. Chapter 2

If the fiction novels he buried his nose in were correct (and there was about a 17% chance that they were) then Atem shouldn't have a reflection. 

It would have been easy enough to prove or disprove his roommate's vampiric state then, if only they had any mirrors in the apartment other than the one in the bathroom. Not wanting to get trapped with his roommate in the tiny space on the off chance he was right, Yugi was forced to find another way to conduct his investigation. 

Strapped for cash and not entirely interested in spending money on a new mirror, Yugi opted instead to borrow Anzu's small compact mirror that she kept in her purse for when she needed to touch up her makeup in a pinch. 

 _For science,_ Yugi had responded when she had asked why he needed said compact mirror. 

The following day found Atem on the couch, lazily flipping through the television channels as Yugi prepared his lunch in the kitchen. The apartment having an open layout meant that Yugi could see directly into the living from his place behind the kitchen counter. From where he stood, he had a clear view of the back of Atem's head as the other man relaxed against the couch. 

With Atem's attention elsewhere, Yugi figured this was as good a time as any. 

He turned around, took out the portable mirror from the back pocket of his jeans, and raised it out in front of him. Angling it towards the couch in the living room, Yugi could only scarcely make out Atem's silhouette, given that the elder had turned off all the lights in the living area to 'keep the room cool'. 

Yeah, sure. Whatever you say. 

Even so, Yugi supposed that Atem's outline _was_ visible through the mirror. 

Hm. 

Maybe he could get a little closer... just to confirm. 

Yugi took a silent step backgrounds, closer to the living room. His hand holding the mirror shifted a bit with the movement and, in his fleeting reflection, Yugi noticed a stray bang out of place in the middle of his forehead. Tucking the rebel strand behind his ear, Yugi titled the mirror back towards the couch. 

There was nothing. 

No reflection - not even an outline of Atem's body could be seen!

Yugi's heartbeat quickened. He took a deep breath in and held it. 

Then screamed it out as a set of scarlet eyes suddenly appeared in the mirror's reflection. 

Yugi jumped several feet into the air and spun around, with one hand pressed to his chest, over his heart, and the other moving to deposit the mirror back into his jean pocket. 

 _"Atem!"_ Yugi accused though he had nothing to actually accuse the elder man of. "What are you doing?"

Atem squinted his eyes at him and stuck out a hip to rest it against the counter-top in their kitchen. "I should ask you the same thing," he said smoothly. 

"I was..." _Think fast, or he'll eat you,_ Yugi's brain supplied. "I was fixing my hair."

"Mhm." Atem didn't believe him. "And what were you _really_ doing?"

"I... I was... um. Huh."

Man, he was a shit liar. 

It didn't matter though, for realization dawned on Atem anyways. "Oh my God," his roommate said, the disbelief clear in his tone. "You were checking to see if I had a reflection. You still think I'm a vampire."

Yugi could do little more than blink at him. "Whoa, that... that just kinda came out of nowhere."

Atem placed a single hand over his eyes. His shoulders bounced with each chuckle that fell from his lips. "You're absolutely insane, you know that, right?"

"Am not," Yugi retorted, because apparently he was four and that was the best comeback he could think of. 

Atem let his hand fall from his face and rewarded Yugi with a charmed smile. The corners of his lips switched with barely suppressed amusement. "God, I always go for the crazy ones," he mumbled quietly to himself. 

"Hm?" Yugi said, only catching a word or two of his roommate's comment. "What was that?"

"Nothing." Atem rolled his eyes, pausing the motion to stare at the ceiling for a moment. "You are just an odd teapot."

"I am none of those things."

There we go; that was slightly better. 

But Atem just laughed, before turning to grab his gym bag from one of the nearby kitchen chairs. 

Both embarrassed and slightly annoyed, Yugi puffed his cheeks out and walked out of the kitchen and into the living room. He plopped down onto one of the couch cushions with crossed limbs and a pout. 

"I'm going to the gym,"Atem informed him from the adjoining room. 

Yugi hummed, his eyes focused on the bright television screen. "It's sunny out there," he mused aloud. "You sure you don't want to bring an umbrella?"

Atem didn't respond, so Yugi assumed that his roommate was already halfway out the door. 

He assumed wrong though, for the next thing he knew, Atem's breath was on his neck, his husky voice was a murmur in his ear. 

"Y'know," Atem said, leaning over the back of the couch to whisper in his ear. "If I was a vampire, you would be a very tempting treat."

Yugi wasn't sure if that was an admission or a threat, but he was nearly positive it was both. 

But it didn't matter in that moment if his roommate was a vampire, a werewolf, or a fucking ghost, because all Yugi could think of was how close Atem's lips were to his skin and how good it would probably feel to have that mouth against his own. 

His line of thinking only returned to him when Atem backed away and, by then, all Yugi cared about was Atem's lips on his neck, fangs or not. 

Hell, he'd take a bite for the team. 

But alas, Atem was already gone, out the door, into the sun, and probably glittering or some shit like that. 

It took Yugi a few minutes to steady his breathing following Atem's departure. At this point, Yugi was damn near sure the man had put him under some kind of spell with how easy it was to become undone in the elder's presence. 

Yugi briefly wondered if he should convert to Catholicism so that he had an excuse to carry holy water around the house. 

For science, of course. 


	3. Chapter 3

"What are you watching?" 

"Breaking Dawn."

"How fitting. Is this where you get it from?"

Leaning with his spine against the arm of the sofa, Yugi turned his head to peer over the back of the couch and into the adjoining kitchen, where Atem was currently preparing his nightly bowl of cereal. His roommate was donning a sleeveless tank and dark pair of jeans.

"Get what?" he asked Atem. 

"Your rather endearing traits of paranoia."

Yugi pursed his lips and tried to act offended. "It's not paranoia if I'm right," he mumbled under his breath. He turned his gaze back to the television screen. 

Yugi was caught off guard when the couch cushions shifted under new weight, and Atem settled down next to him, munching on a spoonful of Frosted Flakes. 

Yugi did not acknowledge him, as he was busy desperately trying to suppress the flush of heat that pricked at his cheeks and ran down the length of his body, all the way to his toes. 

Atem was close enough to him that Yugi could feel the heat exuding from the other's body, which got Yugi thinking...

He bit his bottom lip and forgot himself (and personal boundaries) for a moment in lieu of testing out a new theory. 

Per the movie, vampires were supposed to be ice cold to the touch, but Atem seemed to encompass nothing but warmth. 

Yugi leaned forward, the blankets curled around his body pooling to his waist at the movement. He reached his hand out, just far enough to place one fingertip against Atem's bare shoulder, and where Yugi should've found ice, he found sun instead. 

"Uh... Can I help you with something?"

Yugi ripped his hand out of Atem's personal bubble and cradled it to his chest like Atem had done something atrocious to it. "Um. No."

Atem's brows furrowed. "I... " He stopped, tilted his head, and considered something. Then, he shook his head and smiled down at his bowl of cereal. "You know what, I'm not even gonna ask."

And so they watched the rest of the movie together in silence, Yugi's face forever colored bright red. 

It was only when the film finally came to an end that Yugi wondered if he could just discreetly slink onto the floor from the couch and crawl silently away into his room. 

Atem caught his attention before he could carry out his escape plan. "That was dreadful," his roommate/vampire scoffed. 

Yugi brought his knees together, up to his chest, and wrapped his arms around his legs. "What's wrong?" he asked him. "Did you notice some inaccuracies with the portrayal?" _\- of your people?_

Atem smirked at him, and Yugi died. 

Figuratively. 

But his heart did certainly stop for a moment at such a delectable curve of those lips directed his way. 

"The acting was mediocre."

_Your acting is mediocre._

"What was that?" Atem asked. 

Yugi blinked. "Uh. I didn't say anything out loud."

It seemed whereas Yugi was permanently embarrassed, Atem was permanently amused.

"Whelp. Duty calls," the elder man suddenly announced, standing from the couch and leaving his empty bowl on the coffee table. Yugi opened his mouth to reprimand his roommate on his chronic untidiness. 

"Let me know if you need to touch me anywhere else to collect more evidence for whatever it is your doing." Atem winked down at him. "Though I can promise you that I'm warm _everywhere_."

Yugi forgot all about dirty dishes and found himself in the midst of a coughing fit. He brought his hand up to cover his mouth, and his entire face felt like it was on actual fire. "You're terrible," he muttered. 

Atem only laughed, and Yugi brought the blanket up and over his head to hide until Atem left. 

Fucking vampires. 


	4. Chapter 4

“You know what I think? I think _you’re_ the vampire here.”

Yugi nearly tripped over air. 

" _Excuse_ me?" He was so taken aback by the accusation that he forgot all about the dinner he was preparing for himself, as he tried not to gape at his roommae, who was sitting over on the couch, staring at him with a smug look on his stupid perfect face. “You can’t be serious,” Yugi said. 

“I am." Atem titled his head at him. "I think this whole time you've been projecting."

"Well, that's just ridiculous."

"Is it?" Atem posed. "I mean, for starters, you're as white as snow.” 

“I am not!”

“And your eyes. Like honestly, who has an eye color like that?”

“Um, how about my _parents_?" Yugi stressed, indignant. "And like... probably other people you don’t know.”

“Not to mention you are just so flawlessly beautiful," Atem argued. "You simply can’t be human.”

“I’ll have you know that I – !” Yugi stopped. “Wait – _what?”_

Atem grinned and was more akin to a cat than a vampire now. “Oh, what?" he teased. "Nothing to defend yourself with now, huh?” 

“No, I just…” Yugi was seven shades of red. “No fair. You said that just to throw me off.”

“Doesn’t make it any less true.”

Yugi's heart swelled because he was a sucker for Atem, and there was probably a pun in there somewhere. 

"Aren't you late for work or something?" Yugi mumbled, ducking his head. He was suddenly very intent on finishing his meal prep as quickly as possible. 

Atem chuckled from the adjoining room and, if possible (which it probably wasn't), Yugi blushed harder. 

"What, you trying to kick me out now?"

 _Yes._ "No, I'm just genuinely concerned for your work ethic."

Atem was getting up from the couch then, and Yugi strongly considered running off to his room and just starving for the night. 

"That's awfully sweet of you," Atem said, hovering in the threshold of the kitchen now. 

Yugi shot him a small glare. "Maybe, but that doesn't mean I taste sweet, so don't go getting any ideas." 

It was only after Yugi had heard the words that had just left his mouth that he quite literally bit his tongue. 

But it was too late. 

They were already out there in the open, just like the deep laughter that was bouncing from Atem's lips. 

"You are certifiably insane," Atem said with a cheeky grin. 

This was becoming a sore spot for Yugi as of late. "Unless you're about to present me with a certificate that says as much, then I don't think you can just go around making those claims," he bristled. 

Yugi turned toward the spice rack, but Atem was suddenly in front of him, blocking his access. 

"What are you doing?" Yugi was pretty much whining now, because if Atem was going to eat him, he should just get it over with already. 

Atem had stopped laughing and was watching him with a thoughtful expression. "Nothing," he replied. 

"Go do nothing somewhere else," Yugi said, the frustrated edge in his voice betraying his still wounded ego. "I'm cooking."

"I can help you cook."

Yugi didn't want Atem's help, because it was hard to think straight or act with any semblance of normalcy when Atem was in close proximity to him. "You don't know how to cook," Yugi said instead. 

Atem placed a hand over his heart. "Um, ouch?"

"Atem," Yugi said, a touch more gently, "all you ever eat is cereal." And possibly small animals and people, which take very little prep work. 

"Well, I'm willing to learn."

Yugi opened his mouth, stopped the words he was going to say before they left this time, and exhaled an exasperated, _"Fine,"_ instead.

Atem's eyes brightened, and Yugi resisted the urge to swoon, because he was still kind of mad at him. He turned back towards the assorted mess on the counter-top and pursed his lips. 

"Okay, well. If you wanted to grab some rosemary, I was going to add it - "

Atem was suddenly behind him, his arm twisting around his side and coming into view in front of him with the requested container in his hand. He offered it out like a peace offering. 

Yugi then felt Atem's breath in his ear, and the man's body heat permeating through the layers of his clothing, and Yugi died, went to heaven, and returned to his mortal state about three times in the fifteen seconds that followed. 

"Um...  yeah, this is the one," Yugi 's mouth was dry, and he forced himself to swallow, "but what are you - ?"

"Hey." He could almost feel the tremors of Atem's smooth voice caressing his neck, and he barely suppressed the shiver down his spine that followed. "I'm sorry, okay? I don't mean to tease so much."

"Could've fooled me," Yugi breathed, but who was he kidding? He was already a goner. 

"Mm," Atem hummed into his ear. "Maybe I can make it up to you?" his roommate offered. 

Nope. Nope. _No_.

This wasn't happening. 

"You want to make it up to me? Okay." Yugi spun around, grabbed Atem by his biceps and guided him over to the opposite side of the kitchen. "You're gonna stay right there. At all times."

Atem's cheeks were twitching with how hard he was trying not to laugh. "Okay. At all times?"

"Every second. Of every day. I need you to just stand there. Far away from me. So I can think."

"What about work?"

"Oh, now you care about work?" Yugi put his pan of chicken into the oven, then looked over at Atem with narrowed eyes. 

His weary gaze was met with an endearing smile - authentic and genuine and... _so_ sweet. 

Yugi relaxed his features, exhaled a little sigh, and returned Atem's smile with a tiny one of his own. 

Vampire or not, Yugi was starting to fall wildly in love with roommate. 

 


	5. Chapter 5

After goading Atem for about an hour over the elder man’s absolute refusal to spend the afternoon outside with him at their apartment’s community pool, Yugi left their darkened living room in a puff of annoyance.

All he wanted to do was see if his roommate melted (or glittered) in the sun, that’s it. He didn’t understand why Atem couldn’t humor him just this once.

Why couldn’t the man be a compliant vampire? Why did he have to be a stubborn one instead?

Brushing his thoughts of Atem to the side for the time being, Yugi grabbed his things and closed the door to his apartment behind him, as he hurried to meet his best friend down at the complex’s gates.

His blond companion was already there when he arrived, green towel slung over his bare shoulder and sunglasses lowered to the bridge of his nose, revealing his hazel eyes. 

Muttering a quick apology for the delay, Yugi punched in his apartment code and, together, they entered the community pool area and found two chairs to drape their towels over, effectively claiming them.

It hadn’t taken long for Yugi’s skin to take on a dusty pink hue, his pale complexion rebelling against the heated rays of the July sun.

Jou’s skin did not seem to have as hard of a time adapting given that, after about an hour or so outside, the taller of the two was sporting a crisp, light tan.

Yugi silently envied him. 

“So, how’s everythin’ been at work?” Jou asked him, skimming through a fitness magazine he'd brought along for the occasion. Lying against the back of his chair, the blond extended his legs out in front of him, ankles crossed.

“A bit hectic,” Yugi admitted, sitting up in his chair. He moved to grab the bottle of sunscreen and began the process of reapplying the cream on his face, as it was always the first area to burn. “But it should be slowing down soon," he added. 

“That’s good.” Jou lowered the magazine down to his lap and adjusted the sunglasses on his nose to peer over at his shorter friend. “And what about at home? How goes the roommate issue?”

“Issue?” Yugi perked up, turning his head to meet Jou’s gaze. “What issue?”

“You know, the whole unrequited love thing?”

Yugi narrowed his eyes, his cheeks darkening, but not from the sun. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he muttered, quietly.

“Oh, my bad,” Jou replied, turning back to his magazine. “I didn’t realize you were still in denial.”

Yugi bristled but said nothing, as he turned over on his chair to lie down on his stomach. The new position allowed his back the opportunity to warm under the heat of the sun. It also gave him the chance to bury his flushed face into the crook of his arm, away from Jou's all-knowing gaze.

A frown pulled at his lips a minute later when a cloud drifted over the sun, and suddenly he found himself in the shade. 

“Hey, you.”

_That’s no cloud._

Yugi peeked up at Atem and noticed that the man had changed into a nice pair of blue swimming trunks and a loose white tank.

Yugi lifted his chin to rest on his forearm. “It’s sunny out here,” Yugi said, as if Atem needed a gentle reminder of the weather conditions. 

“Despite what you think, the sun doesn’t kill me,” Atem responded, tilting his head just slightly. “I just am not partial to it.”

Yugi parted his lips to reply, but found that the words he had wanted to speak had lodged themselves in his throat.

Atem didn't seem to notice this, his focus elsewhere as he grasped onto the hem of his shirt and pulled the fabric up and over his head. An obscene amount of Atem’s muscled, tan skin was suddenly on display, exposed for all to see, and Yugi immediately lost all cognitive function.

"Hey." Atem's greeting was directed at the blond to their left. "My name's - "

“Atem,” Jou finished with a small nod. “You’re Yugi’s new roommate. Well, I suppose not so new anymore. What's it been, like two months?"

Atem pursed his lips, reflecting for a moment. He nodded. “Yeah, about.”

“Heard a lot about you,” Jou said, and the words seemed to jumpstart Yugi’s brain.

“Not _a lot_ ,” Yugi corrected with a tiny scowl.

Jou shrugged.

“Well, hopefully all good things,” Atem added, lighthearted.

Jou shrugged again, then resumed flipping through his magazine.

“Yugi,” Atem said, his attention refocusing on the younger man. “You might want to put more sunscreen on your cheeks; they are already bright red.”

Yugi did so without further encouragement, hoping that they could all just pretend that his face was burning from the heat, instead of from the embarrassment that was simmering in the pit of his stomach. He watched out of the corner of his eye, as Atem walked over to the edge of the pool and began to lower himself into the water, inch by inch of that glorious bronze skin disappearing underneath the crystal blue surface. It was then that Yugi realized (with just the tiniest flare of jealously) that he was not the only one observing the Greek God his roommate embodied.

Within moments, Atem had completely submerged himself into the pool and, when he resurfaced, Yugi couldn't tear his eyes away from Atem's soaked, golden bangs and the way that they clung to his curved cheeks; or from the way the water's reflective surface made those mahogany eyes shimmer like diamonds.

Atem caught Yugi’s gaze then, and he smirked, and just like that all of the theories Yugi had about his roommate's true identity flew out the metaphorical window.

It was clear that the sun had no effect on his roommate, other than making the man even more stunning than he already was.

With a grand stroke forward, Atem made his way over to where Yugi and Jou were laid out. Once there, he folded his arms over the edge of the pool and smiled at Yugi. 

“Hey gorgeous, why don’t you come over and join me?”

Yugi blinked at him.

He glanced over his shoulder.

“Oh my God, _Yugi,_ I’m talking to you.” Atem sounded exasperated, his tone accompanied with a small shake of his head. “Get in here, you ridiculous man.”

Yugi wanted to be offended by that, but he couldn’t find it in himself to be angry with someone who was looking at him the way Atem was.

“I’ll sit on the edge, but I won’t get in all the way,” Yugi said wearily, standing from his chair. He grabbed the bottle of sunscreen to bring with him for good measure. “I don’t like getting wet.”

“Hm,” Atem said aloud, as Yugi settled down next to him. “Maybe you’re secretly a cat.”

Yugi dipped his feet into the water, lowered his legs until his ankles and calves were completely submerged. “Does that make you catnip?” he quipped without thinking.

 _Oh my God, stop right this instant. Stop talking,_ Yugi mentally scolded himself so hard, he audibly winced.

But it was too late, and the damage was already done, evidenced by the mischievous glow in Atem’s eyes.

“Are you trying to tell me that you’re attracted to me?” Atem teased, a man with little shame.

Yugi’s heart stammered inside his chest. “No. Yes. I don’t know.”

Atem raised an inquisitive eyebrow. “Yes, those are the options,” he said.

With a groan, Yugi dug his fingers into the water and splashed him a bit. “Cut it out,” he admonished. “You’re just trying to embarrass me.”

Atem shielded his eyes from the assault, but still managed to flash Yugi a smile from underneath his hand. “No, I’m not,” Atem said with a grin. “I want to take you out.”

Yugi flushed, and he felt as if it was suddenly too hot to be outside today. “Out…?” he repeated. “As in...?”

“Yes, Yugi, like out on a date.” Atem said, lifting his chin and meeting Yugi’s gaze. “The chemistry I have with you is something I’ve never experienced before, and I’d like the chance to explore it more.” Then, Atem shrugged, little drops of water swaying down his caramel shoulders at the movement. “Or if you’d prefer, we could keep tiptoeing around each other and just continue to ignore our attraction for one another.”

Atem had spoken the words so casually; the bluntness of it all caused Yugi's breath to hitch, and every possible response to evade him. 

“Hey, Yug’!” Jou called over to him before he could form a coherent reply. “Is Atem askin' you out on a date? Is that what’s happenin'? What did you say? You said yes, right? I mean, he’s all you talk ab – _ah!”_

Jou folded up on himself and guarded his head from the bottle of sunscreen flying in his direction. 

Yugi turned his head from his flailing friend, back to Atem who was looking elsewhere, the elder pretending as though he hadn't witnessed the exchange between the pair of friends. But it was clear by the tic in Atem's cheek that he was trying with his utmost effort not to smile. 

Yugi sighed, loud enough that Atem glanced back to him.

“Yeah, fine, let's go on a date,” Yugi mumbled with stained cheeks. He decided not to even bother anymore with the sunscreen, since he knew that the pinkish hue would never leave him at this point.

“Perfect,” Atem said, a triumphant smile on his face, but his eyes shined with trouble. “And who knows? If you play your cards right, you might even get lucky and I’ll show you my fangs,” he said with a wink.

Yugi laughed at that, just a little bit, right before he placed his hand on the top of Atem's head and dunked his roommate underwater. 


	6. Chapter 6

Yugi was not a smart man.

At least, not when it came to matters of the heart.

Why, oh why, did he think he could manage a date with Atem, when he could barely even manage to form coherent sentences when Atem so much as smiled at him?

It didn't help that Atem was a sight to behold the night of their date - all darkened cherry eyes and lush skin the color of sand. Atem had originally offered to wine and dine him at home, but Yugi had convinced his roommate to take him out to a bar instead, because perhaps having so many other people around would dampen Atem's raw sex appeal (it didn't), and Yugi would have to control himself as to not look like a fool in public. 

What Yugi shouldn't have done then was order three glasses of wine in hopes that the alcohol would ease his anxiety, when in reality it just destroyed any ability Yugi had to filter himself. 

Yugi had just got done explaining to Atem the logistics of why the elder man's smile could not end wars (though it totally could) when he was saved by a tall, slender man approaching their booth. The newcomer had slick brown hair and eyes as sharp and unforgiving as the sea. He politely excused his intrusion, though his words held a certain rigidity to them as he spoke. He proceeded to ask Atem for a moment of privacy. 

Yugi, still nursing his third glass of wine in his hand, side-eyed the duo. They seemed friendly enough with one another, as they stood near the front door, engaged in quiet conversation, but there was a stiffness in their postures that Yugi couldn't quite read. The fuzziness in his head certainly didn't help his astute observations. 

Atem returned after a few minutes, an apology in his smile. "Sorry about that. Old friend."

Yugi hid a scoff behind his glass. For all he knew, the strange man was Atem's dark lord or something. Or maybe a fellow vampire? Maybe there were clans of vampires that traveled together in groups and - 

"You should stop thinking so loudly, lest the entire bar hears you," Atem said, rim of his pint glass at his lips, his beer mostly gone. 

Yugi narrowed his eyes. "How do you know what I'm thinking?" he accused. 

"I don't." Atem lifted one shoulder. "However, based on how tight your face was wound up, I can only imagine what's on your mind right now." Those burgundy eyes lit up, partially amused. "It wouldn't have anything to do with me, now would it - ?"

"No."

Yugi inwardly groaned, the denial leaving his lips too quickly for his liking. He glanced down at his near empty glass of wine and frowned. Clearly, he needed more alcohol if he was to survive the rest of their date. That was most certainly the answer. 

Atem pursed his lips when Yugi voiced his intentions to get another drink. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" Atem implored. "I mean, no offense, but - "

"I can already tell you that I am going to be massively offended by whatever is about to come out of your mouth," Yugi interrupted him.  

Atem hid a smirk behind a small scowl. "But," he continued. "I really don't think you need another drink."

"Oh, look at that, I was right."

Atem rolled his eyes before meeting Yugi's gaze once more, his shoulders loose and body at ease. "Hey, it's a selfish thought, but I just want you to have all your faculties for when I try to seduce you later tonight."

"Well, Atem, I am a grown man and if I want another drink then I..." Yugi paused, his brain finally catching up. "Wait, what did you just say?"

Atem leaned back into his chair, scarlet eyes aglow and with a smile that resembled that of a snake. "You heard me," was all he offered. 

Yugi blinked twice, his shock bordering on indignant outrage. 

Why... the _audacity_ of this man? What did Atem think, that he was just going to flash him this smoldering look, and he would just jump into bed with him, just like that? So what if Atem was _literally_ God's gift to earth? Yugi didn't care that Atem's eyes looked like stolen diamonds or that he always smelled like cinnamon. Yugi barely even noticed how hot he felt whenever Atem stepped into his space, or how the elder always seemed to suck all the oxygen out of Yugi's atmosphere whenever he was close-by. 

Yeah. Yugi should tell him all that, that'd really show him. 

"What makes you think you can even seduce me?"

 _...oh my god, don't encourage him!_ _Why would you ask him that?_ Yuugi questioned himself harshly, but could find no good answer for his inquiry. 

Atem laughed audibly, seemingly amused at the question. However, his laughter subsided quickly, and his features took on a more serious edge. It was a rather sudden shift in his demeanor that caught Yugi off-guard.  

"Oh," Atem hummed. "I would thoroughly enjoy knocking down those walls of yours. One by one."

"I don't have walls. I'm an open book. Speaking of books...," Yugi rambled on, hoping to lead the conversation elsewhere - anywhere, really, other than down the path they were headed. 

Atem would not let him stray though, kept Yugi in place with a heated gaze, and Yugi was suddenly very, very hot. "Hey," Atem murmured, quiet and yet the soft interruption rang in Yugi's head loud enough to echo and stun him into silence. "Why don't you say we get out of here? Go somewhere a little bit more... private?"

Uh, fuck no. Absolutely not. 

"Sure." 

Yugi frowned at the word that just left his mouth. There seemed to be a pretty substantial disconnect between his brain and his mouth this evening. To the point where it might even be a medical condition he should get checked out for. 

Atem was already paying the bill and shrugging on his leather jacket by the time Yugi had crawled back out from inside his own head. "Where are we going?" Yugi asked, following Atem's lead without really even realizing it. He slid out from his booth, standing, and Atem joined his side a moment later. 

"For a walk. It's nice out this evening, and there's a lovely park nearby."

That sounded innocent enough, Yugi thought to himself. The cool air would probably do wonders for his buzz and introduce some much needed reason back into his thought process. His nerves were a jumbled mess in the pit of his stomach, and not even the alcohol was providing any relief from them at this point. The brisk evening was indeed refreshing, Yugi conceded, as they exited the bar and began their stroll down the sidewalk. The park was only five minutes from the bar, and they walked towards their destination in a semi-comfortable silence, both men seemingly lost in their own thoughts. Yugi welcomed the lull in conversation, as it allowed himself a brief reprieve; an opportunity to gather his thoughts and allow the white noise from the cars rumbling down the street beside them to soothe him. Once they arrived at the entrance to the park, an isolated sparsely wooded hiking area at the end of a residential street, Yugi was nearly relaxed enough to engage Atem again in what he hoped was a normal, coherent dialogue. 

"I've never been here before," Yugi told him. "Has this always been a - ?"

Yugi's question was lost, words cut off abruptly by Atem's lips finding his and - _oh..._

A dark heat invaded him then, warming his blood and soothing his anxiety more than any drink ever could. It was just as intoxicating though, and Yugi felt his reluctance, his hesitation leave him. However, he found that it was quickly replaced with an overwhelming sense of vulnerability. He felt very exposed then, as if he were naked and on display, and the only thing that seemed to make him feel safe was pressing closer into Atem.   

It was not what he had expected, this first kiss with Atem. He had no idea it would make him feel like this; like he was home, protected. He didn't quite understand it. 

Yugi was still in a full daze when he felt Atem's lips leave his, though that was the only distance the elder man allowed, their noses still nearly touching as Atem met his eyes under a curtain of golden strands. Atem’s hands, which had been resting on his arms, lowered to settle on his waist. Yugi hadn't even realized he was holding his breath until he began to feel light-headed.

"I can't..." Yugi heard himself mutter.

Atem's eyes were like embers, burning with thinly veiled lust. "What?" Atem was luring him, with sultry undertones and hushed advances. “You can’t what?” he asked him. 

Think? Function? Breathe when you’re this close to me?

Yugi had always wondered what Atem tasted like, but was worried that if he ever had a sample then he would never want anything else.

He was right. 

Atem exhaled a pretty sigh as he gazed at him. It almost seemed as if the elder was surrendering something in that moment. The sound resonated with Yuugi's deepest desires.

"Tell me to stop," Atem said, his words coming as a surprise to Yugi. His roommate was still so close, he could feel every breath he took. "If you don't want this," Atem continued, his eyes closing. The lines in his face were tight, Yugi noticed then. Atem seemed... like he was struggling against something Yugi couldn't see. 

"Don't stop."

It was Yugi's words then that came as a surprise. 

But Atem needed no more encouragement, nor did it seem that he would be asking Yugi's permission again. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I did it again where I posted the draft and not the final. Wish Ao3 would had more distance between those buttons haha. All fixed now.

Yugi was beyond miffed at this point.

It had been three days - _three days!_  - since Atem had rushed them home, tossed Yugi onto his bed, and did things to him that made the stars align and his world all but implode. Sweat soaked their skin and dampened the sheets, and Yugi could not recall ever being ravished so thoroughly in his life. It was only when early dawn arrived, and they could not continue due to sheer fatigue that they settled into a deep slumber, limbs intertwined. It was a night that had transitioned Yugi's feelings for Atem from an intense infatuation to a deep love - one that implanted roots in Yugi's heart with such force that it would be impossible to unearth. 

And yet, since that morning, Atem's presence in the apartment had been nearly non-existent. The older man had spent afternoons locked in his room, slipping out for work in the evening only when Yugi was out of the apartment or otherwise preoccupied. 

Yugi had not exchanged more than a glance with Atem in the past seventy-two hours and, if it hadn't been for the accumulation of cereal bowls in the sink, Yugi would've sworn that Atem didn't actually live with him anymore. 

He was wrong after all. His roommate wasn't a vampire. No, Atem was clearly a fucking _ghost_ with how well the older man was able to avoid detection.

Yugi felt a burst of anger explode in his chest as he waited in the living room on that third, incredibly lonely night. He started to pace, scratching at his neck absentmindedly as he did so. He had developed some sort of allergic reaction there, and it had been itchy and red as of late, but the light scratching seemed to soothe it. Distraction gone, Yugi's thoughts returned to that of his roommate. 

How dare Atem dismiss him like this? After weeks of skirting his roommate's advances and then finally giving, did Atem really think he was just going to turn around and ignore him so callously? Not in this fucking life, he wasn't.

Yugi was very aware in that moment that his anger, though genuine, masked a very deep pain within him, devastated as he was by Atem's sudden distance. The separation was difficult, and it seemed to drain Yugi both physically and emotionally. There felt like there was a very real part of him that was missing in Atem's absence, and the dependency came very much as a surprise to Yugi. He had loved before; he was familiar with the feeling. But this was different. It was as if Yugi had an actual connection - a real, tangible connection to Atem, and being pulled too far away from the other caused him immense emotional and physical strain. 

Speaking of the devil...

Yugi looked up when the front door opened, ceasing in his pace as he was met with a disheveled and surprised Atem, returning from his night shift. 

Yugi glanced over at the oven clock. 

_5:25AM_

Returning his eyes to Atem, Yugi felt the void within him soothe at the sight of him, but didn't allow himself the moment to relish in the feeling, because he wanted to hold on to his anger a bit longer. Yugi also noticed that his roommate looked as exhausted as the younger man felt, as if Atem hadn't actually slept since the night they spent together. 

"We need to talk about this," Yugi began, determined and just a little bit defiant. 

Atem looked like he wanted to disagree, looked almost indignant that Yugi had trapped him in this conversation against his will.

But Atem dropped his guard rather quickly and, with that, his gaze. With his eyes now at a downcast, Atem exhaled a deep sigh, the action seeming to ease some of the tension and stress in his frame. When he finally looked back up at Yugi, his features were weighed down with guilt and... shame?

But still Atem said nothing, choosing instead to walk through the kitchen into the living room, so that he could lower his work bag onto the couch. Once done, he turned to meet Yugi's eyes.

Yugi, in turn, was struggling internally with being this close to Atem after three days of being apart. 

"Atem..." Yugi said, his anger already lost. His voice was softer then, sadder. It betrayed him. "Why are you avoiding - ?"

"I bonded with you."

"What?"

Atem didn't seem like he wanted to offer any clarification, but there was something in his eyes again, like an overdue apology. 

Yugi couldn't quite comprehend what would cause such a reaction, such a drastic change in Atem's demeanor, who was far from his usual playful, charming self.  

"What do you mean?" Yugi repeated his question. He was close enough that he could reach out and touch Atem, and it was taking every ounce of willpower he could muster not to. His neck stung then, and he lifted a hand to quickly run the tips of fingers over the sensitive skin and relieve it. "If you're talking about the other night, it was important to me too," Yugi offered him. "But I still don't unders - "

"No." Atem cut him off, but not unkindly. "You don't understand. I _bonded_ with you, Yugi. I..." Atem released another long breath, his eyes closing again. "I didn't mean to," he continued, but quieter now, as though speaking to himself. "I just didn't realize the extent of my feelings for you until I kissed you and by then it was too late to stop it."

Yugi shook his head, still confused, but also a bit light-headed. His appetite and sleep had taken a serious hit this week.

"You are exhausted," Atem announced suddenly, reaching towards him. He stopped though, hand wavering in mid-air before reluctantly lowering it back down to his side. "I'm sorry, Yugi. The distance I've put between us is affecting both of us. Being away from you has been... almost unbearable. But I just didn't know how to tell you, I didn't know how you'd react, and I didn't want you to leave - "

Yugi's mind, as weighed down as it was by the need for both sleep and comfort, cleared for a moment, solely due to a spark of frustration that pushed all other thoughts aside. "For the last time, Atem, what are you talking about?" Yugi asked pointedly. "What is going on?"

Atem opened his mouth to answer, but no words came forth to explain. Instead, Atem pressed his lips back together, and he stood, resolute in his silence, in front of him. 

Yugi felt his thinning patience snap then, and he was ready to let Atem have it -  _all of it! -_  but was again distracted by the itch on his neck. 

A sudden thought popped into Yugi's head.

A familiar thought - one that had made many appearances over the past few weeks.

But this time, when it exploded to the forefront of his mind, it boomed with enough force to make him stumble backwards into the couch.

Yugi's eyes went wide, and his jaw slackened.

"Wait. No. No. You're not serious?"

Yugi felt a wave of panic surge when Atem did not offer any denials. In fact, the man did nothing at all but stand there, guilt-ridden.

With the knowledge that his roommate would not be of any assistance in that very moment, Yugi ducked past Atem, who did not try to stop him, but instead watched him go with only his eyes. 

The bathroom door connected to the living room was already ajar, and Yugi ran right up to the small circular mirror over their sink. He had to nearly press his forehead against the reflective surface, he had to squint and focus, he had to know what he was looking for. 

But he found them - right in the center of his irritated patch of dusty pink skin. 

Two very small, very distinct puncture wounds. 

_"... No."_

Yugi turned on his heel, stumbled back out of the bathroom, and found Atem waiting for him in the same spot, his roommate seeming to find a particular spot on the floor very interesting. 

"You're...." Yugi swallowed, but his throat was suddenly very dry, and it was hard to speak. "You're..." he tried again, but to no avail. 

Atem gazed up, took pity on him, and finally spoke.

"A vampire." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a very silly story.  
> But it provides me a nice break so I don't murder myself trying to finish the last page of S&AD.  
> Thanks for reading!


	8. Chapter 8

"I can't _believe_ you!" Yugi's voice was both astonished and furious - he was not one to take kindly to gaslighting. "How dare you. How _dare_ you." 

Yugi wanted to shove Atem, but the pacifist in him would not allow the physical act of frustration, however warranted.

"Sitting there, calling me crazy, when all along I was right. You are _unbelievable._ "

"What did you want me to do, Yugi?" Atem countered, growing equally aggravated after being berated for over an hour. He had moved over to the couch some time ago, leaning forward with his arms resting over his knees and his hands clasped together tightly. "Say, oh yeah, total vampire here, you got me. You don't seem to understand that not revealing our existence is the only reason we still _exist_ in the first place."

Yugi paused in his pacing, stopping in front of the coffee table by Atem's legs. "Don't take that tone with me, as if _I'm_ the unreasonable one here."

Atem groaned, sitting back now to lean his head against the couch. Dark curls of ebony brushed the sides of Atem's face, honey strands falling over his tired eyes, the irises of which were still a stunning shade of burgundy even under a cloud of fatigue. He looked so handsome, so goddamn perfect sitting there, his hair askew and face edged with exhaustion. 

Oh, the nerve. 

Yugi couldn't tell if he wanted to rip Atem's clothes off or his head. 

"Putting aside the fact that you bit me while I was unconscious in your bed - and _trust me,_ we will revisit that conversation... what does this - this bond mean for us?"

Atem gazed up at him from underneath his golden locks. "It means... that you and I have a link now that surpasses all else. If we are apart for too long or at odds for whatever reason, it will have real devastating effects on us both. On the other hand, as I understand it, with enough time and effort, our connection will be both blissful and rather powerful. Eventually, we'll be able to communicate with one another without words, we will sense what the other is feeling, we will - "

"What do you mean," Yugi interrupted suddenly, "when you say, 'as I understand it'?" The younger man lifted his chin, questioning. "Have you never done this before?"

Atem broke away from Yugi's eyes then, looking down at his hands in his lap instead. "We can only bond once," Atem said quietly, avoiding the word 'vampires' as if it was suddenly off-limits. "And it is something that can never be reversed or broken, not even in death." Atem glanced back at Yugi. "So, no, I haven't done this before."

Yugi didn't know quite how to react to that. His feelings were so muddled, had been all night, and he eventually settled for just throwing his arms up in the air in frustration. "Great, so if I'm hearing you right, you essentially chose me as a mate _for life?"_

Atem lowered his gaze again. "Essentially," he muttered. 

"Oh my God, Atem, and you didn't think you should consult me on this matter beforehand? I think I deserve a say here!"

 _"I didn't - !"_ Atem bit his tongue and inhaled a deep breath through his nose. "I didn't mean to do it," Atem said, quieter now, apologetic. He knew that his anger was misplaced. It was a rather toxic mixture of guilt, sleep-deprivation, and a drop of self-loathing for his lack of control three nights ago that had him in such a foul mood. It did not help that their bond was so strained at the moment, making it a true test of strength for Atem to keep himself composed. 

"As I said earlier," Atem continued. "It was selfish, and I am truly sorry, but... you are... I just...," Atem sighed, lifting his hand up to run it through his bangs and up into his hair. "God, I am just so in love with you, and I didn't realize it until we were in bed together and... and you were looking at me with those eyes... and I got swept away in them - "

"Did you..." Yugi's brain had short-circuited and was taking a few extra seconds to come back online. "Did you just say you were in love with me?"

Atem seemed surprised by the question. Pushing himself off the couch, the vampire - _yes, the fucking vampire, what a dick_  - came to stand in front of him.

"Yugi," he said, the name a murmur on his lips. "Of course I am. I bonded with you for Christ's sake. I've chosen you as the person I want to spend my life linked to. Though it didn't feel like much of a choice at the time..."

Yugi's heart would've exploded at the admission, he would've swooned even, if he wasn't still so very conflicted about it all. "I'm still mad at you," Yugi said, noticing only then how close Atem was to him.

Yugi felt so very tired then, the morning sun already spilling into the room through their blinds. Atem had the same appeal to him in that moment that a bed would've, calling out to a part inside of him that needed to be comforted. 

Atem nodded at the boy's words, cognizant of Yugi's position. Their bond demanded forgiveness, necessitated clemency, but Yugi was reluctant to give it under the circumstances. 

"I am sorry, Yugi. I will spend my life making it up to you, I swear it." Atem took a step towards him, into his space, into his world of which they were the only two that existed. "But you cannot leave me," Atem implored him, impossibly close now, though still not quite touching him. "Neither of us would be able to survive the separation."

Yugi exhaled, his shoulders falling. He leaned forward without really meaning to and laid his head against Atem's shoulders, sighing in relief, near bliss when Atem's arms came to wrap around his waist and a soothing warmth filled him, healing the cracks in his soul. "I am not ready to forgive you just yet," Yugi admitted honestly. "But... I'm not going to leave you. Bond or no bond, it doesn't matter..." Yugi breathed in Atem's scent, his nose at the curve of his neck. "I loved you before it. I'll love you after it." The declaration came sleepily and escaped him without his expressed permission, though he was too fatigued to really do anything about it. 

He heard Atem hum then, felt the vibrations against his cheek that laid near his chest. "I had heard about this, about how it would feel to bond with another," Atem whispered, as if sharing a secret. Yugi felt Atem's chin lower to rest at the top of his head, flattening the ravens strands it found there. "Still," the vampire said. "I never knew it would feel like this."

It was the last thing Yugi remembered before he drifted off to sleep, surrendering to Atem's embrace, their bond practically singing at the so desperately craved, _so utterly missed_ contact- it was truly a thing of beauty. 

 


	9. Chapter 9

With each day that passed, the tension in their apartment lessened, slowly fading into the background of their lives like white noise.

Nevertheless, Yugi retained his defenses whenever Atem strayed too close to him. He was still peeved over... well, over a whole array of things, and he still hadn't fully forgiven Atem for his transgressions, though he knew it was just a matter of time before he did. 

It wasn't fair, really. 

After all, how could Yugi resist Atem when their bond pulled him so fervently in his roommate's direction?

How was he supposed to stay mad at the very person (or vampire, whatever) that made his heart dance? Who lit his body on fire with every gaze? Who made him glow with adoration?

Yugi knew it was a losing battle, trying to keep Atem at arms length as the man's punishment for, once again, a whole array of things.

His struggle to stay out of Atem's arms was only magnified by the fact that Yugi was falling irrevocably in love with the bond itself. It was a glorious feeling to be so intertwined with another being. Overwhelming, of course, terrifying even, but still magnificent in its own way. It filled a void that Yugi hadn't even known was there and now that he had experienced it, he couldn't imagine his life without it.  

His wandering thoughts came to a sudden halt. 

Having grown more attuned to their link over the past week, Yugi sensed more than heard Atem enter their apartment.

He could tell whenever Atem was in his space.

His world felt warmer, safer, and his heart sang a slightly different tune. 

Yugi looked up when his roommate walked into the living room, watching with suspicious eyes as the other approached him. Atem proceeded to lower himself down onto the end of the couch, adjacent to Yugi who was sitting cross-legged on the middle cushion.

Yugi fought down a flush of color when he met Atem's gaze.

The other was truly a beauty, all dark hair and mahogany eyes.

But also, screw him, he was still on Yugi's shit list for the stunt he pulled last week.   

"Well, if it isn't my vampire husband, the apple of my eye," Yugi greeted tonelessly, tilting his head towards the other. 

Atem smiled. "Hello to you too, dear," he said, returning the sarcastic greeting easily. He leaned forward and lifted his hand so that he could wrap his fingers around one of Yugi's silky blond curls. He gave it a playful tug. "I missed you today," he murmured in a subdued tone.  

Yugi lightly smacked Atem's hand away, twisting his lips into a scowl. Atem had reverted back to his charming self two days ago, making it infinitely harder for Yugi to resist the vampire's advances.

Yugi figured that since groveling hadn't been working, the vampire hoped that maybe he could woo Yugi back into his good graces instead. 

It was working, of course, but Atem certainly didn't need to know that.  

"Where have you been today? You don't usually go out during the day because of your 'skin condition,'" Yugi said with the help of air quotes.

Though media had grossly skewed the characteristics of a modern day vampire, there was some truth to it, like all tales. Being out in the sun for long periods of time did cause Atem discomfort, but its effects were more comparable to an allergic reaction than they were to anything life-threatening. 

"Had a meeting," was all Atem said. 

"Oh yeah?" Yugi lifted a brow. "Was it like a supernatural meeting? With werewolves and vampires and leprechauns?" 

Yugi had meant it as a joke, but when Atem didn't respond, the boy paled. 

"You know what," Yugi said then, waving his hand dismissively. "I don't even want to know." When Yugi looked up again, Atem seemed a few inches closer to him than before. He narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing?"

Atem blinked innocently. "What?"

"Don't what me. You know what."

Atem dropped the facade rather quickly, his eyes taking on a mischievous glow. "I was just thinking of all the productive things we could be doing right now." 

The insinuation was very clear even without their link, but it was certainly solidified by the wave of languid heat, of lustful intentions, brushing at Yugi's consciousness. A spark of desire uncoiled in Yugi's belly at the mental beckoning, his cheeks flushing. "Yeah, cause that worked out so well for me the first time around," was all Yugi could manage to counter with. 

A perceptive gleam flashed in Atem's eyes. "That wasn't a no," the vampire said quietly, a deep baritone to his words. He inched forward even further, until his nose brushed against Yugi's cheekbone. He brought his lips to Yugi's ear. "If you thought it felt good the first time, you should try it with our bond in place. I imagine it would be... _out of this world."_

"Ugh!" Yugi groaned, his hands falling to Atem's shoulders, pushing him away, but only a bit. He was now both emotionally _and_ sexually frustrated. "You are impossible."

Atem looked offended but wasn't. His eyes glimmered. "Kiss me," the vampire urged. 

Yugi felt his walls crumbling at the base. "No?" he tried, but even Atem heard the hesitancy in his refusal. 

"You sure about that?" Atem wrapped his hands around the smaller ones at his shoulders, held them close, and moved them to the center of his chest. He inclined his head, until his lips hovered right over Yugi's. The vampire's irises were scarlet red, the color breathtaking and meant for enchantments.  

Yugi could feel a heat burn at his cheeks and in his groin, his resistance all but completely gone. He couldn't help it. Atem's entire being was enmeshed with his; the vampire might as well have been his other half. With Atem's hands still resting over his, Yugi pressed his palms flush against the vampire's chest, and the feel of Atem's heart beating underneath his hands was the sweetest heaven he had ever known.

"I want to be in between your soft thighs again," Atem was saying against his lips then. "My desire for you is endless, beloved."

 _Holy..._ okay, all was forgiven, and probably even forgotten, because Yugi lost all semblance of thought the moment he captured Atem's lips with his own. And then he felt _actual electricity_ spark in the room around them - a physical manifestation of their bond surging at the shared contact.

It stole his breath away. 

It was going to be a long night, Yugi decided then, and Atem was most assuredly going to prove him right.  


End file.
